Ready for your cell phone to ask you for official identification?
Since January 9, a new regulation published in the Official Gazette obliges all mobile phone users to link their number with their Unique Population Registration Code (CURP). No exceptions. Prepaid, postpaid, physical SIM or eSIM. All.
The official objective is clear: eliminate anonymity. The authorities argue that this measure will help combat threats, telephone fraud and extortion. The logic is simple: if each line has a first and last name (or rather, a CURP), it will be easier to track illicit activities.
But here comes the interesting thing. What happens if you don’t comply?
Your line is suspended, not canceled
Starting on July 1, 2026, operators will have the green light to suspend lines that are not correctly registered. It is not a cancellation, it is a suspension.
This means that the user will lose access to key functions such as voice calls, text messages and mobile data (internet, applications, WhatsApp).
Your phone will basically become a smart brick. It will only work for emergency calls such as 911 and some limited functions with the operator. The number is not lost, but it remains in a coma until you complete the procedure.
Now, as a good daughter of a lawyer, I wonder: what about the exceptions? There always are.
Devices without calling or messaging capabilities (data only), tablets with internet plans without voice, government institutional lines or emergency services, minors (doing it by their guardian) and users whose operator already registered when contracting are not required to register their CURP.
The official justification is to avoid unnecessary loads where there is no risk of misuse. Sounds reasonable, right?
But let’s remember recent history. Whenever a government promises more security in exchange for less privacy, it’s worth reading the fine print… and remembering previous cases where mass data collection had… let’s say… creative uses.
Authorities hope that this clear record will make it easier to identify those responsible and improve emergency response. A laudable goal, without a doubt.
However, in a country where scandals over leaks and misuse of government databases are not exactly new, one cannot avoid a certain skepticism informed by experience.
So there you have it. They have until July 2026 to decide whether to link their digital life to their official identity. Or to start looking for alternatives.
